Games to be played on a computer are manipulated through rockers. A conventional rocker generally has an external control rod which can be gripped or held by a user and moved in different directions. During operation of the rocker, the movements of the control rod are converted into electronic signals which are received by a game interface card before being sent to a system unit to control the movement of a cursor on a computer screen.
In the conventional rocker, the movement of the control rod causes a variable resistance contact to displace. With different resistances, different electronic signals are generated for the computer to identify, allowing the cursor to move when the control rod is manipulated by the user.
There are shortcomings that exist in such a conventional rocker when it is operated. The variable resistance contact wears to loses its carbon powder after a long-term period of use. This causes poor contact which makes the output signals from the interface card unstable. For some games that are more exciting, the control rod is frequently moved by the user at a very quick speed. Such quick movements of the control rod by the user further increase the chances of wearing and damaging the variable resistance contacts and therefore, shortens the usable life of the conventional rocker.